NEA chief says he has “high hopes” for Obama, Duncan

I had the chance to sit down Friday afternoon with the president of the National Education Association, which represents 3.2 million educators working at every level, from pre-school to university graduate programs.

Dennis Van Roekel, a longtime math teacher and NEA elected official who took office last September, shared his thoughts on the new president, the idea of “merit pay” and his priorities and plans for this year. Some highlights:

· On the Obama Administration: He has “high hopes” for U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, and the two have scheduled monthly meetings – a change from the previous regime, Van Roekel said. Duncan understands “you can’t change the system without working with the people in it.”

· On the No Child Left Behind law: People who aren’t in the classroom don’t understand the incredible impact NCLB has had on educators – among other concerns, it’s narrowed the curriculum and “it’s taken the joy out of teaching,” he said. He doesn’t think Congress will tackle changes to the law until at least next year.

· On “merit pay:” When people talk about this, “they’re talking about different things.” So first you have to define what you mean. ( “There are ways to change pay systems,” he said, but you need to know what your goals are before changing the system, and figure out how to fairly measure teacher performance. (And higher salaries in general wouldn’t hurt: “We have to be able to compete with other careers,” he said.)

· On high-school graduation rates: They’re far too low, and have been for decades, he said: “I don’t understand why we accept it, year after year.” This is a top issue for NEA, he said, and solving it will require a shift in thinking. Rather than viewing high-school graduation as the end goal for students, educators need to focus on preparing teens to become citizens of the world and productive members of society.